NFC North: After Favre drama, is pressure off for Packers?

By Tony Moss, Sports Network - The Sports Network

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The storyline that wouldn't die is now dead, at least until January 9, 2010.

That's the day the NFC playoffs begin, and the Green Bay Packers hope to hold a place of residency in that bracket. If the Pack (4-3) gets there, chances are the Minnesota Vikings (7-1) will be somewhere within close proximity in the playoff field. Perhaps the rival duo will even get to see one another again, in what would be just their second postseason meeting of all time.

But unless and until that day comes, the Packers will not have to face questions about Brett Favre anymore. The awkward square dance that has taken place between the icon and the organization that employed him happily for 16 years is over, and though Green Bay certainly wasn't hoping to go 0-2 against the hated Vikings this year, Favre did not end the Packers' season when he beat them twice in a five-week span.

In fact, even after their 38-26 home loss to Minnesota on Sunday, the Packers find themselves just a half-game behind the Giants (5-3) for the final Wild Card spot in the NFC.

The upcoming schedule sets up favorably for Green Bay, with road games against the woeful Buccaneers (Nov. 8) and Lions (Nov. 26) sandwiched around challenging but winnable home tests against the Cowboys (Nov. 15) and 49ers (Nov. 22).

Though Green Bay is far from a perfect team, with major problems in the areas of offensive protection and defensive pass rush, to name but a couple, the notion of Mike McCarthy's club getting to December with a chance to do some damage remains very much intact.

"It was talked about after the game," said McCarthy on Monday. "These division games are worth a game and a half, sometimes two. So, you know, this was a tough one. No doubt about it. It was a tough one for everybody. Tough one for our fans...but we need to get ready. Tampa is a different opponent with new coordinators and a new head coach down there. So, we've got to make sure we're prepared for those guys. Winning on the road is always tough. But the opportunity to go 3-1 in the second quarter to put us at 5-3 at the halfway mark, that's our goal."

Frankly, though the Buccaneers aren't simply going to lay down for the Packers, the fact that the league's lone remaining winless team will also be fielding a first-time starting quarterback, Josh Freeman, speaks very well of Green Bay's immediate chances for recovery.

Also encouraging for McCarthy and company is the fact that the Packers battled to the finish against the Vikings for the second time this year, despite once again falling behind by what was thought to be (and ultimately was) an insurmountable 24-3 deficit.

But Aaron Rodgers and the Packers scored on their first four possessions of the first half and recovered a critical fumble during that stretch as well, and with just under six-and-a-half minutes to play, Green Bay was trailing just 31-26 and was holding the football inside the Minnesota 30-yard line.

Almost nothing went well for the Pack for the rest of the day, as a subsequent missed field goal by Mason Crosby was followed by another patented Favre touchdown drive, and Green Bay was saddled with its first home-and-home sweep at the hands of the hated Vikings since 2005.

But McCarthy saw the silver lining in the comeback effort, even if it fell short.

"I told them at halftime that this second half was going to be a turning point in our season. It was important for us to go out there and turn this game around and make a run and win this game. I felt that was happening there in the third quarter.